Constitutional renewal for Britain proposed
In July 2007, the Green Paper 'The Governance of Britain'
(Cm. 7170) was published, which set out the Government's vision and proposals
for constitutional renewal, calling on the public, Parliament and other
organisations to submit their views. A further five consultation papers were
issued following the July 2007 Green Paper.
This three-volume White
Paper, 'The Governance of Britain - Constitutional Renewal' (Cm. 7342-I/II/II),
is the result of the consultation process and forms part of the Governance of
Britain series examining constitutional renewal.
Human Rights Annual Report 2007
The 'Human Rights Annual Report 2007' (Cm. 7340), is the
tenth Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) annual report on human rights,
which publishes just a few weeks after the FCO's new strategic framework and
mission statement. The 2007 Report shows how human rights will remain fully
integrated with their four new policy goals.
Annual Finance Bill presented to Parliament
The 'Finance Bill' is the annual bill presented by the Government in order to implement the measures contained in the Budget report.
This Bill seeks to implement the measures set out by Alistair Darling in the 2008 Budget Report, 'Budget 2008 - Stability and Opportunity: Building a Strong, Sustainable Future' (HC 388).
First National Security Strategy set out by Government
The Cold War threat has been replaced by a new set of threats and risks - including international terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, conflicts and failed states, pandemics, and trans-national crime - which affect the United Kingdom directly and have the potential to undermine wider international stability. These threats and risks are driven by a diverse set of underlying factors, including: climate change; competition for energy; poverty and poor governance; demographic changes; and globalisation.
The 'National Security Strategy of the United Kingdom: Security in an Interdependent World' (Cm. 7291) sets out how the Government will address and manage both the risks and the underlying factors that drive them.
Health of the working population reviewed
Around 175 million working days were lost to illness in 2006. Some 7% of the working-age population is workless and receiving benefits because of long-term health conditions or disabilities. This represents a significant cost to the economy - in cost of benefits, healthcare, forgone taxes, lost production, sickness absence, informal care - estimated at between £103 and £129 billion.
This Review from Dame Carol Black (the National Director for Health and Work), 'Working for a Healthier Tomorrow', establishes the first baseline for the health of the working population. Its vision for health and work in Britain is based on three principal objectives: prevention of illness and promotion of health and well-being; early intervention for those who develop a health condition; and an improvement in the health of those out of work.
Changes to post-19 skills system proposed
The changing nature of the world economy makes increasing participation in education and training an urgent necessity. In the system for young people, responsibility and accountability is given to local authorities for the whole 14-19 age range. They will provide a place in learning for every young person through strategic commissioning.
This consultation paper, 'Raising Expectations: Enabling the System to Deliver' (Cm. 7348), sets out the Government's proposals for supporting participation and achievement for young people and reforming the post-19 skills system to secure better outcomes for adults.
Management of rail incidents examined
In the 2006-07 period 800,000 incidents led to 14 million minutes of delay to franchised passenger rail services, costing a minimum of £1 billion (an average of around £73 for each minute of delay) in the time lost to passengers. Such incidents include infrastructure faults, fleet problems, fatalities, and trespass.
This Report from the National Audit Office, 'Reducing Passenger Rail Delays by Better Management of Incidents' (HC 308), examines the delays to passengers on main line rail services and what needs to be done to reduce such incidents.
Stability is the aim of Budget 2008
'Budget 2008 - Stability and Opportunity: Building a
Strong, Sustainable Future' (HC 388) sets out the Government's plans for
taxation, public spending and economic growth for the coming year.
The
Government reports that the economy is stable and resilient, continuing to
grow, and that its strict fiscal rules are being met.
2007 Foot and Mouth outbreak reviewed
Following the 2001 outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease
(FMD), Dr Iain Anderson published a report, 'Foot and Mouth Disease 2001:
Lessons to be Learned Inquiry - Report' (HC 888, 2001-02), providing an
analysis of what happened with recommendations. Another FMD outbreak occurred
in the summer of 2007 and the Government again asked Dr Iain Anderson to
conduct a review to find out if the lessons of 2001 had been learned and
whether new recommendations were needed.
This report, 'Foot and Mouth
Disease 2007: Review' (HC 312), is built around the findings of 2001, with a
particular look at the Pirbright facility - the source of the virus
incriminated in this recent outbreak.
Climate Change Levy 'has had relatively little
effect on business emissions'
The Climate Change Levy (CCL) package is the second biggest
element in the UK Climate Change Programme. The Government believes that
Climate Change Agreements (CCAs) will reduce annual CO2 emissions by an
additional 7 million tonnes by 2010. Savings appear to have been significant
but were strongly front-end loaded and have eased off since its
introduction.
This Report from the Environmental Audit Committee,
'Reducing Carbon Emissions from UK Business: The Role of the Climate Change
Levy and Agreements' (HC 354), examines the impact that these initiatives have
had on reducing carbon emissions from UK businesses.
Treasury response to Stern Review not made with scale or urgency required
Environmental taxes, as a proportion of all taxation, peaked at 9.7% in 1999 and have declined ever since, falling to 7.3% in 2006.
In this report, 'The 2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review: An Environmental Analysis (HC 149-I)', the Environmental Audit Committee sets out a number of conclusions and recommendations covering different areas of environmental taxation policy.
Global financial instability examined
The period since early August 2007 has been one of large-scale turbulence and instability in global financial markets. The unfolding crisis of confidence is important given the particular impact on the United Kingdom through the run on the Northern Rock Bank.
'Financial Stability and Transparency (HC 371)' examines the causes of the dislocation of international financial markets, subsequent developments in global financial markets and lessons learnt, as well as the prospects for international action and other developments to promote financial stability and transparency.
Number and cost of coal health compensation claims 'greatly exceeded' initial forecasts
In January 1998, the Department of Trade and Industry (now the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) took responsibility for the accumulated personal injury liabilities of the British Coal Corporation.
This report from the Committee of Public Accounts, 'Coal Health Compensation Schemes'
(HC 350), examines the Department's handling of the two compensation schemes that it introduced.